Eccentrica - Amateur Theatre Festival

Eccentrica, theatre radiating from Castellana Grotte

In Castellana Grotte, in the province of Bari, in the heart of the Puglia region best known for its extraordinary karst caves, summer brings Eccentrica, the festival dedicated to amateur theatre. The name is no coincidence: it is inspired by the famous eccentric stalactite of the Castellana Caves, a formation that grows by defying gravity and branching out in all directions. In the same way, the festival aims to radiate from the town's historic centre, expanding in a movement that touches squares, theatre companies, and the public.

Seven nights of theatre under the stars

Born as a showcase for local companies, Eccentrica has grown over the years into a true festival open to theatre groups from all over Italy. The heart of the event is a week of evening open-air performances, featuring a mix of popular comedies, great classics of the repertoire, and new plays. Every evening, the audience, seated in the stalls, enjoys a different performance for free, in a festive atmosphere that unites the square and the stage.

Companies from across the peninsula

Alongside the local Castellana groups, which remain the core of the festival, Eccentrica hosts amateur companies of national standing. Authors like Luigi Pirandello and Miguel de Cervantes share the stage with contemporary texts and the tradition of dialect comedy, offering a diverse programme capable of speaking to different audiences and sensibilities. The Behind the Scenes (Dietro le quinte) initiative, which precedes the shows, allows spectators to get to know the companies and their productions up close.

A community project

Eccentrica is promoted by the Gruppo Teatrale Amici Nostri APS in collaboration with the Municipality of Castellana Grotte, with the patronage of FITA Puglia, the Italian Federation of Amateur Theatre. More than just a series of shows, the festival serves as a tool for growth, education, dialogue, and social interaction: a way to bring theatre back to the centre of town life and to foster an appreciation for the beauty and plurality of artistic languages.

Part of the Piazze d'Estate programme

The event is an integral part of Piazze d'Estate, the rich summer programme of the Municipality of Castellana Grotte which, from June to September, enlivens the city with dozens of events including music, culture, food and wine, tradition, dance, and sport. In this context, Eccentrica represents the theatrical soul of the season, an opportunity to experience the Apulian historic centre in a different light, amidst words, laughter, and applause.